


Corruption

by Dlxm950



Series: Story of a Lost Man [1]
Category: Warcraft - All Media Types, World of Warcraft
Genre: Banishment, Betrayal, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Death, Gen, Loss, Other, Sad, Sad Ending, Suicide Attempt, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-12
Updated: 2019-03-12
Packaged: 2019-11-16 07:20:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18089894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dlxm950/pseuds/Dlxm950
Summary: He came from a poor family and grew up in the slums. He worked any job he could get as a child to help his mother and siblings.When the opportunity presented itself to join the royal guard he leaped at it.The steady income removed the fear of starvation.The connections he made allowed him to offer his siblings the education he never got.He had even managed to get promoted to protect the prince as his personal guard.All of that would be gone tomorrow morning as his body hung from the ramparts





	Corruption

**Author's Note:**

> This work may be triggering for those who suffer from depression and/or anxiety. Read with caution if you are susceptible to emotional instability triggered by mentions of death and or murder. If you suffer from any of these symptoms please seek immediate assistance. I do not right on these topics lightly and am hoping to achieve a sense of seriousness.

“We both know how this works Tarian.”

 

The two men were sat in a small office. The meeting was inevitable. Tarian knew this.

 

Knew as his chief competitor was promoted over him.

 

Knew as he watched years of hard work disappear into the hands of a man who had never worked a day in his life.

 

Knew as surely as the sun sets that he wouldn’t last past the turn of the season.

 

Terian was an average man. Short brown hair fell upon pale skin. Blue eyes followed by a chiseled jaw. Handsome in his own right but forever shrouded by his upbringing.

 

He came from a poor family and grew up in the slums. He worked any job he could get as a child to help his mother and siblings.

 

When the opportunity presented itself to join the royal guard he leaped at it.

 

The steady income removed the fear of starvation.

 

The connections he made allowed him to offer his siblings the education he never got.

 

He had even managed to get promoted to protect the prince as his personal guard.

 

All of that would be gone tomorrow morning as his body hung from the ramparts.

 

“I’m not going to kill you.” Tarian’s head snapped up at that a look of sheer surprise etched in his features. The man before him gave an unpleasant look before continuing.

 

“Banishment feels like a much more fitting punishment.” His heart pounded in his chest. ‘No.’ he thought. ‘Anything but that.’

 

“You’ll be taken to the monastery tomorrow morning to receive your brands. From their you’ll be led to the docks and put on the first ship to the remains of Teldrassil. If you're lucky your ship will be raided and you’ll sink to the ocean floor.”

 

The cruel man before him gave a smirk as he signed the notice and sealed it with wax.

 

Taking this as his dismissal Tarian stood and made his way over to the door.

 

“One last thing.” He turned once more. What else could be done to him? He thought.

 

“Be sure to arrive on time for your shift tomorrow. Wouldn’t want to risk the income your family needs would you?”

 

The nail in the coffin.

 

* * *

 

The rest of that night was spent racing around in an attempt to make sure his family would be alright. The first stop on that list was Kayla Mills.

 

The woman had been kind to him with his lack of education. She had taught him to read and right so he could fulfill his tasks and, at his request, agreed to educate his siblings.

 

He found her in the library as usual however it was the man next to her that gave him pause.

 

Spy master Shaw.

 

Before he could collect himself the man raised his head and smiled before waving him over. Tarian immediately slapped the best smile he could onto his face and hoped in only came across as sheepishness.

 

“Tarian I wished to discuss some of the security arrangements surrounding the kings trip to Boralus.”

 

Tarian froze.

 

Boralus.

 

He was going to be banished long before that happened.

 

The other man gave him a look of concern and Tarian spat the first word that came to mind.

 

“Shit.”

 

The pale shock of his face immediately gave way to a flush of red as the two people before him laughed at his outburst.

 

“I’m sorry sir. I forgot you wanted the plan this evening. I can get it to you in two days time if that is alright.” The words tumbled from his mouth before he could stop them. Another moment of panic hit him as he realized what he said. Luckily for him it appeared that the spymaster was interpreting his panic as nervousness at having failed to get the plans done.

 

“It is no worry. The trip to Boralus is not for another change in the season. Their is time.” The man said this with a hand on Tarians shoulder in an attempt to sooth the others frayed nerves. “Now i’m sure you didn’t come here to speak with me so I shall take my leave.”

 

Shaw quickly left the room leaving Tarian and Kayla alone.

 

“How can I help you?” She asked him.

 

He took a deep breath and attempted to come up with a reasonable excuse to pull his siblings from their education.

 

“I have decided to pull my sisters from their education..”

 

‘So much for that.’ He thought

 

Kayla looked completely shocked for her part. Her mouth was opened wide and her eyes even wider.

 

The look of shock quickly shifted to anger and he prepared himself for the verbal lashing he was about to receive.

 

It never came.

 

Instead the woman in front of him took a deep breath before speaking.

 

“I don’t believe you.” They were said tursley but without rage.

 

“It’s the truth. My sister can no longer receive an education from within the castle.”

 

“So something happened within the castle.”

 

Shit. He should have never come here. Now he was well and truly fucked.

 

As he mentally panicked Kayla stepped forward. She was concerned for this man who had become her friend. Perhaps even something more with time. Something had happened. She knew this. Tarian wasn’t the kind of man to suddenly do something so cruel. Especially considering his own lack of education growing up. No, something had happened within the castle that made him fear for his sisters.

 

Just as she reached out to touch him he backed up. One step and then two and before she knew it he was walking away. She attempted to catch up but he suddenly turned at looked her in the eyes.

 

“I’m sorry.” The words were said with such remorse. Such sadness and anger and guilt that it tore at her heart.

 

With that he turned and began to walk away once more.

 

Kayla found herself fearing she may never see him again.

 

* * *

 

The second stop was to see Anduin.

 

The prince, now king, had been the closest thing to a friend Tarian had ever had.

 

Tarian had been assigned to guard Anduin by choice of his father when they were both quite young. The two of them had only been twelve.

 

He had just finished his beginner paladin training when the king had arrived.

 

He had taken a look at all the best officers their and then turned to Tarian.

 

He never knew why the king chose him.

 

Perhaps it was his age.

 

Perhaps it was something within Tarian that he could not see himself.

 

At the moment Tarian thought it was a mistake.

 

Nevertheless he did his best. He bled for his prince. Taking wound upon wound through countless skirmish. He protected him no matter where he went.

 

Tarian could never have hoped for a better friend.

 

He found it rather ironic that Anduin had probably signed his banishment already without realizing it.

 

He reached the door leading to the throne room but found himself being barred access.

 

The guards crossed their spears and blocked the door. Neither saying a thing.

 

He felt a small pit of anger in his gut rise. He knew what this meant. His position was lost.

 

The guards had been briefed and his new status settled.

 

He left quickly. None of the guards attempted to stop him. The ones he knew gave him looks of pity. The once that disliked him sneered at his exit.

 

Before long he was outside the castle. The cool wind washing over his frame now unprotected by armor. The moon hung high in the sky as he made his way home.

 

* * *

 

The next morning came quickly. Tarian having spent the rest of the evening crafting the letter he would leave for his family yawned as the first bit of light stuck his skin. He arose from the table leaving the letter out for his mother to find when she woke. With one last look at his home he left.

 

The guards met him halfway to the monastery. By that point the sun had risen above the horizon and the morning workers were beginning their tasks. Tarian hadn’t noticed but as he was put in chains the noise of the street had died. Many of the workers looked to him in shock as the guards bound him in iron. A few even took steps forward before being pulled back by others.

 

The march to the monastery was silent. All of the people watched him in shock as he was lead down the streets. It was at the last corner when someone finally approached him.

 

The little girl had been an orphan when he first met her. She and a group of other younger kids had been robbing a stale for food when he stopped them.

 

He had bought them food everyday until they were eventually adopted.

 

She stood before him now with a sad look on her face and tears gathering in her eyes.

 

“The adults say your not gonna be around anymore.”

 

“That's right.”

 

“Why?”

 

He didn’t know how to answer that.

 

He took a moment before responding.

 

“Because sometime the world just isn’t fair.”

 

At those words the little girl latched on to his side in a fierce hug.

 

After a few moments she let go and sadly walked back to her adopted parents.

 

The guards were very eager to move the rest of the way.  


* * *

 

 

They arrived at the monastery in record time.

 

He was moved to the basement where he was tied to a stone pillar and his shirt was pulled over his head to reveal his back

 

After a moment of silence he heard the door to the room open and a man enter.

 

There was a brief conversation between the guards and the man Tarian assumed would be branding him. The man seemed unwilling to do it at first but, after a moment more conversing with the guards, moved to comply.

The pain was indescribable. Besides the searing hot metal being pushed into his shoulder blade it was the magic that hurt most.

 

He could feel the light leaving him the longer the brand was pressed to him. It was forcefully being ripped from his body and a wall put in place to stop it from returning. A scream left his lips as he felt a piece of his soul be ripped from his body.

 

Then just as quickly as it started it stopped. The brand was pulled away from his skin and he was left with not but the searing pain he could no longer heal.

 

They pulled his shirt down and untied him from the post.

 

Tarian fell in and out of consciousness as they dragged him to the port. He saw some familiar faces looking at him in surprise as he was dragged from monastery. People he knew from being beside the king openly guacking. The people of the slums passing prayers for his safety and others whispering words of comfort when he came near enough.

 

By the time they reached the docks Tarian had fully returned to consciousness.

 

Just in time to be thrown on the ship with his sentence carried.   


* * *

 

 

The trip to Darkshore and the ruins of Teldrassil was unfortunately peaceful. No Zandalari warships attacked, no pirates raided them, and soon enough they had arrived. They ship pulled up behind the tree to hide them from the enemy.

 

He and four other traitors were given a pistol each with one bullet, put on a dingy, and left afloat.

 

Two men shot themselves immediately rather than chance an encounter with the horde. The third one jumped overboard and attempted to swim to the tree only to be caught by something in the water and dragged below.

 

The fourth man helped him row to the shore where he bade him farewell and good luck before disappearing into the forest.

 

Tarian stood alone with the boat.

 

He took a look at the pistol in his hand and then at the burnt remains of the tree.

 

He raised the pistol to his head and pulled the trigger.

 

Nothing happened other than a click.

 

The powder was wet.

 

He couldn’t even fucking kill himself.

 

He threw the pistol to the ground and screamed.

 

He screamed at the top of his lungs. Every curse he knew in every language he knew. He cursed humanity, the sun, the moon, the light, the void, the horde, the alliance, everything in the universe and the universe itself.

 

Finally when he could scream no more he fell to his knees.

 

He felt a sudden pain in his side and the world turned dark.


End file.
